to volcano crater... and beyond!!!

A new administration represents a new outlook. Unfortunately here in the Philippines, a new outlook doesn’t necessarily mean a better one. When the Department of Tourism announced a new slogan, expectations were high since the tourism business is where the government is itching to gain success in positively promoting the country, and of course, revenues.

“Pilipinas Kay Ganda” is the new(interim?) slogan of the DOT, replacing the successful “Wow Philippines” of the previous administration. Certainly with this decision, P-Noy was the epitome of his late mother, who at the very first few months of being catapulted as the new leader of the newly installed “democratic” government born out of a street revolution in 1986, “probably neglected” some project of the previous government, perhaps because of personal vendetta or the credit would not go to the new government. It was the same case here, since the old slogan was the brainchild of the previous administration, whom he publicly denounces but privately support, intuitively. He was probably irked by Senator Richard Gordon’s criticisms against him during the last election that changing the tourism logo was one of the government’s priorities. Perhaps it was that reason, or not… we will never know. One thing for sure, the change was not beneficial, as critics pun all over the new slogan, making it one of the worst and unaccepted proposals derived from his “straight road” political rallying call.

Anyways, the new slogan, aside from sounding like a morning show in a local channel, does not really present any advantages, particularly in bringing in foreign tourists, as major reaction of the critics. Indeed, for other countries have invested in their international promotions by using the universal language so that foreign tourists can relate to every tourist places and events they are heavily promoting. “Pilipinas Kay Ganda”, however vibrant the colors and the logo are, will be disadvantageous to countries like Thailand and Malaysia who promote their tourism in the English language. Even fellow bloggers pointed out unimaginable mistakes with the current slogan, wasting the efforts of those DOT people involved in the “four month study” before coming up with an abysmal concept. This is actually the best P-Noy’s appointments’ could offer, plagiarizing a television show title just to show off.

Whatever was wrong with the Department of Tourism, and the entire government in particular, it was not about changing slogans or doing things differently. Everything was about legacy, and outdoing their predecessors was giving these government officials sleepless nights until their last day of serving their “boss”, the Filipino people. New people in government service wanted to be credited by their own projects, and it creates a mess especially when a previous plan is working properly, just like what is happening right now.

It is now Wow Philippines versus Pilipinas Kay Ganda, the old against the new, the better versus the worse. Because of politics, tourism reveals its ugly facade every now and then. The entire country suffers at the folly of some.

My biking days will never be the same again. I have a new biking companion. She was introduced to me by fellow biker friends. Meet Madonna Del Ghisallo. She will be my constant companion whenever I go places with my old reliable bike.